Hyundai and Toyota held a joint event on Sunday in South Korea, named the Hyundai N x Toyota Gazoo Racing Festival.
The event was an excellent marketing opportunity, but it may also have included some very significant news.
In his Sunday speech, Hyundai Motor Group chairman Euisun Chung didn’t just offer platitudes; he delighted rally fans with a potentially telling statement.
“With our high-performance N brand, we’re committed to delivering excitement and satisfying all car enthusiasts. We’ll continue to push forward in motorsport alongside Toyota so that more people can enjoy the thrill of driving,” Chung stated.
Chung’s comment is notable. There have been rumours circulating that the Korean manufacturer might exit the WRC altogether in the coming years.
While Chung might be referring generally to motorsport and the World Endurance Championship (WEC), attentive listeners noted that he specifically mentioned the N brand, which Hyundai has used in the WRC. In WEC, they plan to participate with the Genesis brand.
Hyundai has already confirmed it will join the WEC in the future with its luxury brand, Genesis. After this announcement, many interpreted it as Hyundai shifting all focus to circuit racing, potentially planning to withdraw from the WRC. Now, Chung’s statement has, at the very least, slightly quelled those fears.
Hyundai team principal Cyril Abiteboul had already urged caution amidst the rumour mill during Acropolis Rally in Greece.
“Don’t read into rumours. Summer is always a good period for speculation and rumours. You were probably writing around this time last year that we would be out at the end of 2024,” Abiteboul said in Greece.
“It’s true that there were doubts because we didn’t know where the sport was heading. But once we gained clarity on the direction of the sport, it was clear that we belong here. We want to stay here. What we still don’t know is where the sport is heading after 2026, and we need clarity on that. Based on that, we can make plans and decisions. But for now, we’re here, and we’re here to win,” the French boss added.
